A new consumer survey by Yano Research Institute shows that among self-identified “otaku” in Japan, anime tops all categories as the largest subculture group, with significant percentages also identifying as manga and idol fans, and the average annual spend per otaku on hobbies sits around 50,472 yen.
Yano Research Institute conducted a nationwide online questionnaire in July 2025, asking 10,000 Japanese residents aged 15 to 69 whether they identified as “otaku” or had been recognized as such by others.
The results suggest that among the 31 hobby categories examined, anime otaku are the largest group, estimated at roughly 5.49 million people, followed by manga otaku at around 5.10 million, idol otaku at 3.55 million, smartphone game otaku at 2.75 million, and home console game otaku at about 2.32 million.
The survey also explored consumer spending behavior, revealing that the most common annual personal expenditure on otaku-related activities and products fell between 10,000 and 50,000 yen, representing the largest single group of respondents. When averaged across all categories — including those who reported zero spending — the estimated yearly spend per otaku was 50,472 yen.
Additionally, the data showed that otaku are far more likely to have “oshi” — a person, character, group, or franchise that they actively support — than non-otaku respondents. About 64.2% of otaku reported having an oshi, compared to just 21.5% among those who did not self-identify as otaku. In terms of who they support, Japanese idols were the most common oshi category among otaku, followed by anime and manga characters and music artists.
The full survey results provide a detailed snapshot of Japan’s otaku subculture and hobby market, and Yano plans to publish more comprehensive data as part of its 2025 Cool Japan Market / Otaku Market research series.
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